Footwear customization kit

ABSTRACT

A footwear customization kit comprises a container including an article of footwear, a stand, a steaming bag and a set of instructions. The article of footwear includes one or more customizable portions that can be deformed when heated, including an upper and a customizable insert. The stand and the steaming bag can be used to heat the article of footwear and the customizable portions in a steam environment. The customizable portions can be modified by a shape of a foot inserted into the article of footwear and can permanently retain the shape upon cooling.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/252,532, entitled “Footwear Customization Kit”, filed on Aug. 31,2016, which application is a division of U.S. Pat. No. 9,456,661,currently U.S. application Ser. No. 14/188,816, entitled “Steaming Bagfor Footwear Customization”, filed on Feb. 25, 2014, which applicationis a division of U.S. Pat. No. 8,720,835, currently U.S. applicationSer. No. 14/033,656, entitled “Footwear Customization Kit Including aStand”, filed on Sep. 23, 2013 and issued on May 13, 2014, whichapplication is a division of U.S. Pat. No. 8,579,241, currently U.S.application Ser. No. 13/475,538, entitled “Footwear Customization Kit”,filed on May 18, 2012 and issued on Nov. 12, 2013, which application isa division of U.S. Pat. No. 8,251,207, currently U.S. application Ser.No. 13/069,460, entitled “Footwear Customization Kit”, filed on Mar. 23,2011, and issued on Aug. 28, 2012, which application is a division ofU.S. Pat. No. 7,958,993, entitled “Footwear Customization Kit”, filed onSep. 18, 2009, and issued on Jun. 14, 2011, the disclosure of whichapplications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to an article of footwear, andin particular to a customization kit for an article of footwear.

Tuhkru et al. (U.S. patent application publication number 2006/0049181)teaches a perfect fit system for leather shoes. Tuhkru teaches a systemthat uses two heating bags filled with sea salt. Tuhkru teachesmicrowaving the bags for several minutes and then placing the bagsinside of a pair of shoes. The shoes can be placed in a heatconservation bag. The process is completed by cooling the heated shoeson the foot.

Laberge (U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,229) teaches a method and apparatus forvacuum molding multi-layer footwear. Laberge teaches multi-layerfootwear formed of laminated layers of material. The layers are capableof being heating to a degree at which the footwear, when placed in avacuum bag or compression chamber, is molded to adopt the shape of thefoot inside the footwear. The footwear is heated to the point where thesynthetic components of the layers of material are flexible underthermoforming conditions.

Simonsen (U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,287) teaches a method and apparatus forcustom molding boots and shoes. Simonsen teaches a boot or shoe formedof a thermoplastic material. To better conform it to the wearer's foot,the wearer puts his foot within the boot and places it within a bag of aplastic material having a melting temperature higher than the moldingtemperature of the boot. A vacuum line is also placed within the bag andthe top of the bag is sealed around the user's leg.

The related art lacks provisions for allowing a user to easily customizean article of footwear. There is a need for a design that addresses thisproblem of the related art.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts, comprising: anarticle of footwear including a customizable portion, the customizableportion being customizable when heated above a predeterminedtemperature; a stand for holding the article of footwear in a steamenvironment; a steaming bag configured to cover the article of footwearand the stand in the steam environment; a set of instructions; and wherethe set of instructions includes information for heating the article offootwear and the customizable portion in the steam environment using thestand and the steaming bag.

In another aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts, comprising: anarticle of footwear including a customizable portion, the customizableportion being customizable when heated above a predeterminedtemperature; a stand for holding the article of footwear in a steamenvironment; a steaming bag configured to cover the article of footwearand the stand in the steam environment; and where the stand includes abase portion that is configured to fit inside of a steaming device.

In another aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts, comprising: anarticle of footwear including a customizable portion; a stand forholding the article of footwear in a steam environment; a steaming bagconfigured to cover the article of footwear and the stand in the steamenvironment; a container for storing the article of footwear, thesteaming bag and the stand, the container having an open position and aclosed position; and where the stand is configured to fit inside thecontainer with the article of footwear in the closed position.

In another aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts, comprising: anarticle of footwear including a customizable portion, the customizableportion being customizable when heated above a predeterminedtemperature; the article of footwear including a throat opening having afirst width;

a stand for holding the article of footwear in a steam environment; thestand comprising a base portion and a footwear engaging portion; thefootwear engaging portion further including a lower portion attached tothe base portion and an upper portion disposed adjacent to the lowerportion; a steaming bag configured to cover the article of footwear andthe stand in the steam environment; and where the upper portion has asecond width that is substantially less than the first width of thethroat opening and wherein the lower portion has a third width that issubstantially greater than the first width and wherein the upper portioncan be inserted through the throat opening.

In another aspect, the invention provides a stand for holding an articleof footwear in a steam environment, comprising: a base portion forsupporting the stand; a footwear engaging portion oriented in at anangle with respect to the base portion; the footwear engaging portionfurther including a first end portion, a second end portion and anintermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and thesecond end portion; a detachable portion; the stand having a firstposition for storing the stand in a container with the article offootwear and a second position for holding the article of footwear inthe steam environment; and where the detachable portion is attached tothe base portion in the first position and wherein the detachableportion is attached to the intermediate portion in the second position.

In another aspect, the invention provides a stand for holding an articleof footwear in a steam environment, comprising: a base portion forsupporting and a footwear engaging portion; the footwear engagingportion having a folded position for storing the stand in a containerwith the article of footwear and a raised position for holding thearticle of footwear in the steam environment; and where the footwearengaging portion is substantially angled with respect to the baseportion in the raised position and wherein the base portion and thefootwear engaging portion have a substantially flattened configurationwhen the footwear engaging portion is in the folded position.

In another aspect, the invention provides a steaming bag for use with anarticle of footwear in a steam environment, comprising: a centralportion including an interior cavity for receiving the article offootwear; a peripheral portion extending outwardly from the centralportion; the central portion having a first temperature when thesteaming bag is placed over an article of footwear in the steamenvironment and the peripheral portion having a second temperature; andwhere the first temperature is substantially greater than the secondtemperature.

In another aspect, the invention provides a steaming bag for use with anarticle of footwear in a steam environment, comprising: a centralportion including an interior cavity for receiving the article offootwear; a first peripheral edge including a peripheral opening influid communication with the interior cavity, the peripheral openingextending through a substantial majority of the first peripheral edge; asecond peripheral edge disposed opposite of the first peripheral edge;and where the width of the interior cavity decreases from the firstperipheral edge to the second peripheral edge.

In another aspect, the invention provides An article of footwear,comprising: an upper comprising a customizable portion that is made of afirst material; the article of footwear comprising a portion that ismade of a second material that is different from the first material; thefirst material and the second material configured to be deformed whenheated above a predetermined temperature; where the first material has afirst rigidity after being heated above the predetermined temperatureand cooled below the predetermined temperature; and where the secondmaterial has a second rigidity after being heated above thepredetermined temperature and cooled below the predeterminedtemperature, the second rigidity being substantially different from thefirst rigidity.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention willbe, or will become, apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art uponexamination of the following figures and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features andadvantages be included within this description and this summary, bewithin the scope of the invention, and be protected by the followingclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood with reference to the followingdrawings and description. The components in the figures are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustratingthe principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, likereference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a container for afootwear customization kit;

FIG. 2 is a top down view of an embodiment of a footwear customizationkit;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a footwear customizationkit with the components packed in a container;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a footwear customizationkit with the components outside of the container;

FIG. 5 is an isometric enlarged view of an embodiment of a set ofinstructions associated with a footwear customization kit;

FIG. 6 is an exploded isometric view of an embodiment of the componentsof a footwear customization kit being positioned in a steam environment;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the components of afootwear customization kit positioned within a steam environment;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a steaming bag beingremoved from an article of footwear;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwearin a heated condition and a foot preparing to insert into the article offootwear;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwearwith a customizable portion conforming to the contours of a foot;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwearwith a customizable portion retaining a customized geometry after a foothas been removed;

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a stand for a footwearcustomization system including a detachable portion attached to a baseportion of the stand;

FIG. 13 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a stand for a footwearcustomization system including a detachable portion that has beenremoved;

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a stand for a footwearcustomization system including a detachable portion that has been placedat an intermediate portion;

FIG. 15 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a stand for a footwearcustomization system in a folded position;

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a stand for a footwearcustomization system in a raised position;

FIG. 17 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwearincluding a customizable portion and a customizable insert;

FIG. 18 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwearincluding a customizable portion and a customizable insert being heatedin a steam environment;

FIG. 19 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwearincluding a customizable portion and a customizable insert in a heatedcondition prior to a foot being inserted;

FIG. 20 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwearincluding a customizable portion and a customizable insert in a heatedcondition as a foot has been inserted;

FIG. 21 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwearincluding a customizable portion and a customizable insert in a cooledcondition after a foot has been removed; and

FIG. 22 illustrates a diagrammatic illustration of an embodiment of acustomizable portion from an article of footwear showing layers of thecustomizable portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 5 illustrate an embodiment of footwear customization kit100, also referred hereafter as kit 100. Footwear customization kit 100can be used with any type of footwear. In addition, the principlesdiscussed throughout this detailed description may not be limited in useto footwear. Similar principles could be applied to customization kitsfor various different types of apparel as well.

In some embodiments, footwear customization kit 100 may used by acustomer at home. For example, in some cases, a customer could purchasefootwear customization kit 100 at a retail location and bring kit 100home. In other cases, kit 100 may be shipped to an address associatedwith the customer. In other embodiments, footwear customization kit 100could be used at any other location, such as a retail store or a kiosk.

Kit 100 may include container 102, which is shown in a closed positionin FIG. 1 . Container 102 can be any type of container configured tostore at least one article of footwear. In some cases, container 102 maybe a box. In an exemplary embodiment, container 102 may be a shoeboxthat is configured to store footwear. In particular, container 102 mayhave a generally rectangular shape and can include lower portion 104 andlid 106.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5 , kit 100 can include various differentcomponents for customizing one or more articles of footwear. In oneembodiment, kit 100 can include pair of footwear 200. Pair of footwear200 may further comprise first article of footwear 202 and secondarticle of footwear 204. Generally, articles of footwear associated withkit 100 can be any type of footwear. For clarity, the following detaileddescription discusses articles of footwear in the form of sports shoes,but it should be noted that in other embodiments any other type offootwear could be used including, but not limited to: hiking boots,soccer shoes, football shoes, sneakers, rugby shoes, basketball shoes,baseball shoes as well as other kinds of shoes. Articles of footwearassociated with kit 100 may also take the form of any non-athletic shoe,including, but not limited to, dress shoes, loafers, sandals, and boots.An individual skilled in the relevant art will appreciate, therefore,that the concepts disclosed herein apply to a wide variety of footwearstyles, in addition to the specific style discussed in the followingmaterial and depicted in the accompanying figures.

First article of footwear 202 and second article of footwear 204 may beoriented for a left foot and a right foot, respectively. For purposes ofclarity, the following detailed description discusses first article offootwear 202, but it will be understood that each of the featuresdiscussed for first article of footwear 202 could also apply to secondarticle of footwear 204. Furthermore, first article of footwear 202 mayalso be referred to as article 202 throughout the remainder of thisdetailed description.

Referring to FIG. 4 , for purposes of reference, article 202 may bedivided into forefoot portion 10, midfoot portion 12 and heel portion14. Forefoot portion 10 may be generally associated with the toes andjoints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Midfoot portion 12may be generally associated with the arch of a foot. Likewise, heelportion 14 may be generally associated with the heel of a foot,including the calcaneus bone. In addition, article 202 may includelateral side 16 and medial side 18. In particular, lateral side 16 andmedial side 18 may be opposing sides of article 202. Furthermore, bothlateral side 16 and medial side 18 may extend through forefoot portion10, midfoot portion 12 and heel portion 14.

It will be understood that forefoot portion 10, midfoot portion 12 andheel portion 14 are only intended for purposes of description and arenot intended to demarcate precise regions of article 202. Likewise,lateral side 16 and medial side 18 are intended to represent generallytwo sides of an article, rather than precisely demarcating article 202into two halves. In addition, forefoot portion 10, midfoot portion 12and heel portion 14, as well as lateral side 16 and medial side 18, canalso be applied to individual components of an article, such as a solestructure and/or an upper.

For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are employedthroughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustratedembodiments. The term “longitudinal” as used throughout this detaileddescription and in the claims refers to a direction extending a lengthor major axis of an article. In some cases, the longitudinal directionmay extend from a forefoot portion to a heel portion of the article.Also, the term “lateral” as used throughout this detailed descriptionand in the claims refers to a direction extending a width or minor axisof an article. In other words, the lateral direction may extend betweena medial side and a lateral side of an article. Furthermore, the term“vertical” as used throughout this detailed description and in theclaims refers to a direction generally perpendicular to a lateral andlongitudinal direction. For example, in cases where an article isplanted flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend fromthe ground surface upward. In addition, the term “proximal” refers to aportion of a footwear component that is closer to a portion of a footwhen an article of footwear is worn. Likewise, the term “distal” refersto a portion of a footwear component that is further from a portion of afoot when an article of footwear is worn. It will be understood thateach of these directional adjectives may be applied to individualcomponents of an article, such as an upper and/or a sole structure.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4 , article 202 can include upper 222.Generally, upper 222 may be any type of upper. In particular, upper 222may have any design, shape, size and/or color. For example, inembodiments where article 202 is a basketball shoe, upper 222 could be ahigh top upper that is shaped to provide high support on an ankle. Inembodiments where article 202 is a running shoe, upper 222 could be alow top upper.

Article 202 can include sole structure 224. In some embodiments, solestructure 224 may be configured to provide traction for article 202. Inaddition to providing traction, sole structure 224 may attenuate groundreaction forces when compressed between the foot and the ground duringwalking, running or other ambulatory activities. The configuration ofsole structure 224 may vary significantly in different embodiments toinclude a variety of conventional or non-conventional structures. Insome cases, the configuration of sole structure 224 can be configuredaccording to one or more types of ground surfaces on which solestructure 224 may be used. Examples of ground surfaces include, but arenot limited to: natural turf, synthetic turf, dirt, as well as othersurfaces.

Sole structure 224 extends between the foot and the ground when article202 is worn. In different embodiments, sole structure 224 may includedifferent components. For example, sole structure 224 may include anoutsole, a midsole, and/or an insole. In some cases, one or more ofthese components may be optional.

Article 202 can be configured with one or more customizable portions.The term “customizable portion” as used throughout this detaileddescription and in the claims refers to a portion with characteristicsthat can be customized. Examples of such characteristics include, butare not limited to, size, shape, material properties (such as rigidityand/or flexibility) as well as other properties. In an exemplaryembodiment, a customizable portion may a portion with a size and/orshape that can be adjusted. In addition, in some cases, the materialproperties of a customizable portion could also be adjusted.

The characteristics of customizable portions can be varied in differentways. In some embodiments, a customizable portion can be varied througha curing process. In other words, the customizable portion may be heatedabove a predetermined temperature and modified before cooling thecustomizable portion so that the modifications are retained. In otherembodiments, the characteristics of customizable portions can be variedthrough the use of pressure, chemical additives or other known methodsof changing the characteristics of material including the size, shape,rigidity, flexibility and/or other properties. In still otherembodiments, a combination of heat, pressure and/or chemicals could beused to modify the customizable portion.

Generally, article 202 can comprise one or more customizable portions.In some embodiments, sole structure 224 may be associated with one ormore customizable portions. In other embodiments, upper 222 may beassociated with one or more customizable portions. In some cases, acustomizable portion may be associated with forefoot portion 10, midfootportion 12 and/or heel portion 14 of upper 222. In other cases, acustomizable portion may be associated with any combination of differentportions of upper 222. In an exemplary embodiment, upper 222 may includecustomizable portion 230. In particular, customizable portion 230 mayextend through a substantial majority of upper 222. In some cases,customizable portion 230 may coincide with upper 222. Using thisarrangement, upper 222 may be custom shaped to the specific geometry ofthe foot of a user to enhance comfort and fit.

In different embodiments, customizable portions can be made from anyknown materials or combination of materials. Examples of materials thatmay be used include, but are not limited to: any kind of thermosetpolymers, thermoplastics, thermoset resins (such as epoxy, vinlyesterand polyster), synthetic leathers including poromeric leathers andlorica, as well as any other kinds of materials with customizablecharacteristics. In an exemplary embodiment, a customizable portion maybe constructed as a synthetic leather comprising two polymer layers thatsandwich a canvas sheet. Moreover, a glue used to bond the polymerlayers to the canvas may be configured with a relatively low meltingpoint. When steamed, this glue can stretch or shrink to accommodate acustomized shape. Although the current embodiment discusses athree-layered construction, other customizable portions couldincorporate any other number of layers including a single layerconstruction.

In order to modify customizable portion 230, article 202 may be heatedabove a predetermined temperature. For example, in embodiments where acustomizable portion may transition between a crystalline phase and aliquid like phase, the predetermined temperature can be a glasstransition temperature. In some cases, the glass transition temperatureis useful in characterizing amorphous solids such as plastics or similarmaterials that may not have a true melting point. However, in othercases, the predetermined temperature can be some other temperature atwhich a customizable portion may become substantially more deformable.In some cases, article 202 may be placed in an oven. In other cases,article 202 may be heated using steam. In an exemplary embodiment,article 202 may be heated in any steam environment. A steam environmentcan be created in different ways. In some cases, a steam environment canbe created using a pot with water that may be boiled to create steam. Inother cases, any other devices or mechanisms for creating steam can beused. By selecting materials for a customizable portion that becomesubstantially more deformable at temperatures less than or equal to thetemperature of steam, a customizable portion can be activated byapplying steam to an article of footwear.

A footwear customization kit can include provisions to facilitatesteaming an article of footwear for modifying one or more customizableportions. In one embodiment, footwear customization kit 100 can includestand 302 for holding article 202 above or within a steaming device.Stand 302 can include base portion 304 and footwear engaging portion306. Base portion 304 may be configured to engage a portion of asteaming device that is used for creating a steam environment. Forexample, in embodiments where the steaming device is a pot, base portion304 may engage a bottom interior surface of the pot. In some cases,footwear engaging portion 306 may extend generally perpendicularly frombase portion 306.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , in different embodiments, the shape of baseportion 304 and/or footwear engaging portion 306 may vary. Base portion304 may have an approximately two dimensional shape. Examples ofdifferent shapes for base portion 304 include, but are not limited to,rounded shapes, rectangular shapes, polygonal shapes, regular shapes,irregular shapes as well as any other kind of shapes. In the currentembodiment, base portion 304 may have an approximately rectangularshape. In addition, footwear engaging portion 306 may have anapproximately two dimensional shape that extends from base portion 304in a perpendicular manner. Examples of different shapes for footwearengaging portion 306 include, but are not limited to any of the shapesdiscussed above for base portion 304. In an exemplary embodiment,footwear engaging portion 306 may have an irregular shape.

In some cases, footwear engaging portion 306 can comprise distinctportions that are associated with different portions of an article offootwear. In some embodiments, footwear engaging portion 306 may includelower portion 310 and upper portion 312. Lower portion 310 may bedisposed adjacent to base portion 304. In some cases, lower portion 310may have a substantially larger width than upper portion 312. Inparticular, upper portion 312 may be narrow enough to insert into athroat opening of an article. In contrast, lower portion 310 may besubstantially wider than upper portion 312. In particular, lower portion310 may be wider than the throat opening of an upper. In some cases,footwear engaging portion 306 can also include shoulder portion 314 thatextends between lower portion 310 and upper portion 312. In oneembodiment, the width of shoulder portion 314 may vary between lowerportion 310 and upper portion 312. With this arrangement, the throatopening of an article may rest against shoulder portion 314 to help holdarticle 202 in place and in a generally upright position.

Stand 302 may be associated with width W1, length L1 and height H1. Inparticular, the dimensions of base portion 304 may be characterizedwidth W1 and length L1. In addition, the dimensions of footwear engagingportion 306 may be characterized by height H1 and width W1. In somecases, lower portion 310 may be associated with width W1 and upperportion 312 may be associated with width W2 that substantially less thanwidth W1.

In different embodiments, the dimensions of stand 302 can vary. In somecases, width W1 of stand 302 and width W2 of upper portion 312 can bevaried in order to accommodate articles of varying sizes. In some cases,width W2 of upper portion 312 may be substantially smaller than width W4throat opening 250 of article 202. This allows upper portion 312 toinsert into forefoot portion 10 of article 202 through throat opening250. In addition, in some cases, width W1 of lower portion 310 may besubstantially larger than width W4 of throat opening 250 of article 202.This arrangement may prevent article 202 from sliding too far downfootwear engaging portion 306.

In addition, in some cases, the values of width W1 and length L1 may beselected so that base 304 is large enough to maintain an article offootwear in an upright position. In other words, length L1 and width W1may be chosen to prevent footwear engaging portion 306 and an article offootwear disposed on footwear engaging portion 306 from tipping over.Additionally, length L1 and with W1 may be selected so that base portion304 fits within a portion of a steaming device. For example, inembodiments where the steaming device is a pot with a predetermineddiameter, length L1 and width W1 may selected to fit within the diameterof the pot.

In some embodiments, stand 302 may be configured to fit within container102. In other words, the dimensions of stand 302 may be selected toallow stand 302 to be packed within container 102. In particular, thelength, width and height of stand 302 may be selected to be smaller thana first dimension, a second dimension and a third dimension of container102. Referring to FIG. 3 , container 102 includes length L2, width W3and height H2. To fit stand 302 within container 102, stand 302 may beoriented so that footwear engaging portion 306 extends along the lengthof container 102. Furthermore, stand 302 may be oriented so that lengthL1 and width W1 of stand 302 may be oriented along the width and heightof container 102, respectively. In order to ensure that stand 302 fitswithin container 102 when container 102 is in the closed position, thedimensions of stand 302 may be selected so that length L1 issubstantially less than width W3, width W1 is substantially less thanheight H2 and height H1 is substantially less than length L2. Moreover,the overall shape of stand 302 allows for easy insertion of footwearengaging portion 306 between first article of footwear 202 and secondarticle of footwear 204 within container 102.

In the current embodiment, stand 302 may be configured as a wired frame.In other embodiments, however, stand 302 could be configured in anyother manner. Further examples of different configurations for stand 302are discussed later in this detailed description.

Referring back to FIG. 4 , kit 100 can include steaming bag 402. In someembodiments, steaming bag 402 may comprise first peripheral edge 421,second peripheral edge 422, third peripheral edge 423 and fourthperipheral edge 424. Furthermore, steaming bag 402 may comprise centralportion 404 that includes interior cavity 410. In some cases, steamingbag 402 may further comprise first peripheral portion 406 and secondperipheral portion 408 that extend from central portion 404 to firstperipheral edge 421 and second peripheral edge 422, respectively. Firstperipheral portion 406 and second peripheral portion 408 may includefirst end portions 436 disposed adjacent to fourth peripheral edge 424and second end portions 438 disposed adjacent to third peripheral edge426. In addition, third peripheral edge 423 may include peripheralopening 414 that provides access to interior cavity 410 of centralportion 404. In some, but not all embodiments, fourth peripheral edge424 may include vent 416 that provides a secondary access for centralportion 404. In other words, vent 416 is an optional opening and may notbe included in all embodiments.

In some embodiments, the shapes of first peripheral portion 406 andsecond peripheral portion 408 may vary. In some cases, first peripheralportion 406 and second peripheral portion 408 may be substantiallyrectangular portions or strip like portions with constant widths. Inother cases, first peripheral portion 406 and second peripheral portion408 may have variable widths. In an exemplary embodiment, for example,first end portions 436 of first peripheral portion 406 and secondperipheral portion 408 may be substantially wider than second endportions 438 of first peripheral portion 406 and second peripheralportion 408. In other words, first peripheral portion 406 and secondperipheral portion 408 are much larger at first end portions 436 than atsecond end portions 438. Moreover, this arrangement may provide centralportion with a width that tapers from the widest point at thirdperipheral edge 423 to the narrowest point at fourth peripheral edge424.

Steaming bag 402 may comprise a substantially elastic material that canbe expanded and collapsed when filled with fluids or solid materials. Ina first position, steaming bag 402 may have a substantially flat orplanar geometry. Furthermore, steaming bag 402 may obtain a threedimensional geometry when filled with a solid object or fluid.

The two dimensional shape corresponding to the first position ofsteaming bag 402 can vary in different embodiments. In some cases,steaming bag 402 may have a substantially rectangular shape. In othercases, steaming bag 402 may have an approximately trapezoidal shape.Examples of other shapes for steaming bag 402 include, but are notlimited to rounded shapes, triangular shapes, polygonal shapes, regularshapes, irregular shapes as well as any other kinds of shapes. In anexemplary embodiment, steaming bag 402 has an approximately trapezoidalshape.

In a second, or expanded, position of steaming bag 402, first side 430and second side 432 (which is disposed opposite of first side 430) ofsteaming bag 402 may be separated at central portion 404. In otherwords, central interior cavity 410 may expand outwardly. In some cases,central portion 404 may have an approximately conical shape whenexpanded. In contrast to central portion 404, first peripheral portion406 and second peripheral portion 408 may retain a substantiallyflattened geometry in this second position. In particular, first side430 and second side 432 may not separate at first peripheral portion 406and second peripheral portion 408. Instead, first side 430 and secondside 434 may be fixedly attached to one another at first peripheralportion 406 and second peripheral portion 408. This arrangement allowsfirst peripheral portion 406 and second peripheral portion 408 to beused as handles for steaming bag 402. In particular, first peripheralportion 406 and second peripheral portion 408 may retain substantiallyflattened geometries that may be easier to grasp than central portion404.

The arrangement discussed here can also provide differing thermalproperties for various portions of steaming bag 402. In some cases,first peripheral portion 406 and second peripheral portion 408 may havelower temperatures in a steam environment than central portion 404. Thismay occur as central portion 404 is filled with steam and thereby heatedto a greater temperature than first peripheral portion 406 and secondperipheral portion 408 which are not filled with steam.

In some embodiments, steaming bag 402 can include additional provisionsfor facilitating ease of use. In some cases, steaming bag 402 caninclude one or more holes that are easily grasped by a user. In anexemplary embodiment, steaming bag 402 can include first grasping hole440 and second grasping hole 442 that are disposed on first peripheralportion 406 and second peripheral portion 408, respectively. In somecases, first grasping hole 440 and second grasping hole 442 may bedisposed adjacent to fourth peripheral edge 424.

As seen in the Figures, container 102 comprises a convenient way ofstoring each of the components of kit 100. In some cases, each of thecomponents discussed above can be packed into container 102 in themanner illustrated in FIG. 2 . In particular, first article of footwear202 and second article of footwear 204 can be placed into interiorcompartment 105 of container 102. Next, stand 302 can be placed withbase portion 304 along first sidewall 107 of container 102.Additionally, footwear engaging portion 306 can be placed or insertedbetween first article of footwear 202 and second article of footwear204. Finally, steaming bag 402 can be placed in a flattened positionover first article of footwear 202, second article of footwear 204 andstand 302. With this arrangement, each of the components of kit 100 maybe easily stored within container 102.

A footwear customization kit may include provisions for instructing auser about how to customize an article of footwear. In the currentembodiment, kit 100 can include set of instructions 500. Generally, setof instructions 500 can be supplied in any format. In some cases, set ofinstructions 500 may be a printed copy of instructions. For example, inone embodiment, set of instructions 500 could be provided as a bookletthat is packed within container 102. In other cases, set of instructions500 may be associated with a digital storage device. Examples of digitalstorage devices include, but are not limited to CD's, flash drives,memory disks as well as other types of digital storage devices. In anexemplary embodiment, set of instructions 500 may be given as a set ofprinted directions. Although the current embodiment illustrates set ofinstructions 500 as being located on interior surface 502 of lid 106, inother embodiments, set of instructions 500 could be disposed on anotherportion of container 102. Furthermore, in some cases, set ofinstructions 500 could be printed in a separate sheet and stored withincontainer 102 rather than being affixed to a portion of container 102.In some embodiments, the instructions may be placed on portions of thedevice itself, for example, the instructions may be placed on steamingbag 402. In other embodiments, a notice may be placed on the deviceitself, for example, steaming bag 402, which informs the user to readand follow the instructions. It is possible to provide the instructionsin more than one location, for example, set of instructions 500 may beboth located on lid 106 and provided as a booklet packed in container102.

Referring now to FIG. 5 , set of instructions 500 may schematicallyillustrate the steps for customizing an article of footwear. In thecurrent embodiment, set of instructions 500 illustrates four steps forcustomizing an article of footwear. First panel 510 schematicallyillustrates the first step, in which a stand is placed in a pot ofwater. Next, as illustrated in second panel 512, an article may beplaced onto the stand and a steaming bag may then be placed over boththe stand and the article of footwear. At this point, the water may beboiled and steam may be applied to the article of footwear including thecustomizable portion. Next, as illustrated in third panel 514, the bagmay be removed from the article of footwear and the article may beremoved from the stand. Finally, as illustrated in fourth panel 516, auser may insert a foot into the article of footwear. At this point, thecustomizable portion may conform to the shape of the foot as the articleof footwear cools.

In some cases, set of instructions 500 can include pictures. In othercases, set of instructions 500 can include written instructions. Inother cases, set of instructions 500 can include a combination ofpictures and written instructions. Moreover, it will be understood thatthe instructions discussed and shown in FIG. 5 are only intended to beillustrative and in other embodiments additional steps can be removed oradded.

FIGS. 6 through 11 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a method ofcustomizing article 202 using the components of kit 100. For purposes ofclarity, the method is only illustrated using article 202, however itwill be understood that similar steps may be repeated to customizesecond article of footwear 204.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 , stand 302, article 202 and steaming bag 402may be associated with a steam environment. In the current embodiment,the steam environment comprises pot 600, which is filled with water 602and further placed on burner 604. Generally, any kind of pot may beused. In some cases, a user may select a pot that is large enough toaccommodate the components of kit 100. In addition, in other embodimentsa user may not use a pot. Instead, a user could use any container thatis capable of containing boiling water. Furthermore, in still otherembodiments other types of steaming devices could be used for producinga steam environment.

As water 602 is boiled, steam can be produced for heating article 202and specifically customizable portion 230. The components shown here canbe assembled in any order. In the exemplary embodiment, stand 302 may befirst placed within pot 600 and then article 202 can be placed on stand302. As previously discussed, upper portion 312 of stand 302 may beinserted into throat opening 250 of article 202. As seen in FIG. 7 , theincreased width of shoulder portion 314 may help prevent article 202from sliding all the way down footwear engaging portion 306 of stand302.

Following this, steaming bag 402 may be placed over article 202 andportions of stand 302. As previously discussed, base portion 304 ofstand 302 is configured to rest against interior lower surface 620 ofpot 600. In the current embodiment, peripheral opening 414 may be placedwithin pot 600 towards interior lower surface 620. In an exemplaryembodiment, peripheral opening 414 may cover a substantial majority ofthe surface area of water 602 in order to collect a majority of thesteam coming from water 602. In some other embodiments, first peripheralopening 414 of steaming bag 402 can be configured to engage outerperiphery 622 of pot 600 so that no steam escapes around steaming bag402.

In some embodiments, base portion 304 of stand 302 may be disposedwithin water 602. In some cases, therefore, it is desirable that baseportion 304 comprise a material that will withstand the hightemperatures of water 602. In some cases, base portion 304 may becapable of being heated above the boiling point of water.

It is desirable that the components are assembled within pot 600 priorto water 602 boiling. Therefore, once the components of kit 100 areassembled within pot 600, a user may turn on burner 604 to heat water602 and create a steam environment for article 202.

Referring now to FIG. 8 , steam may be collected within steaming bag 402in order to heat customizable portion 230. In some embodiments, steammay be applied for a predetermined amount of time. For example, in oneembodiment set of instructions 500 (see FIG. 5 ) can include informationabout the amount of time that article 202 should be steamed. In somecases, a user could use a timer to keep track of the length of time thatarticle 202 is exposed to steam. In other embodiments, a user may taketemperature measurements inside of steaming bag 402 to determine ifcustomizable portion 230 has been heated above a predeterminedtemperature. For example, in one embodiment set of instructions 500 caninclude information about the predetermined temperature so that a usercan determine when an article has been heated to a temperature that isabove the predetermined temperature. In still other embodiments, acombination of timing methods and temperature measuring methods could beused to determine when an article has been heated above a predeterminedtemperature.

In some cases, vent 416 may be provided to release steam from steamingbag 402. In other cases, however, no vent may be provided on fourthperipheral edge 424. In still other cases, other vents or holes could beprovided at different locations on steaming bag 402.

After a predetermined period of time, steaming bag 402 may be removedfrom article 202 and stand 302. In some cases, a user can grasp firstperipheral portion 406 and/or second peripheral portion 408 to avoidgrasping central portion 404 directly. With central portion 404 filledwith steam, first peripheral portion 406 and second peripheral portion408 may have substantially lower temperatures than central portion 404.In addition, in some cases, a user may place his or her fingers throughfirst grasping hole 440 and/or second grasping hole 442. Thisconfiguration allows a user to remove steaming bag 402 easily in a safeand effective manner.

FIGS. 9 through 11 illustrate isometric views of an embodiment of acustomizable portion of an article conforming to the shape of a foot. Aspreviously discussed, the current embodiment includes customizableportion 230 that comprises a substantial majority of upper 222 ofarticle 202. Therefore, as a foot is inserted into upper 222, asubstantial majority of upper 222 may conform to the shape of the foot.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the temperature of article 202 may be above thepredetermined temperature at which customizable portion 230 softenssubstantially. In this heated state, customizable portion 230 may bepartially deformable. Initially, customizable portion 230 has asubstantially smooth shape. In particular, forefoot portion 10 isgenerally smooth on both lateral side 16 and medial side 18 of upper222.

Foot 900 is illustrated as inserting into article 202. In contrast tothe substantially smooth shape of customizable portion 230, foot 900 hasa substantially irregular shape. In this case, foot 900 includes firstprotrusion 902 and second protrusion 904 associated with medial side 918and lateral side 916, respectively, of foot 900. These protrusions couldbe associated with any type of irregularities in the shape of foot 900including any kinds of bony protrusions, calluses or other types ofprotrusions.

Referring now to FIG. 10 , foot 900 has been fully inserted into upper222. Furthermore, the temperature of article 202 is still above thepredetermined temperature associated with customizable portion 230. Inthis heated state, customizable portion 230 may be deformed. In anexemplary embodiment, customizable portion 230 may deform so as to adaptto the shape of foot 900. Customizable portion 230 may be reshaped duethe pressure applied by foot 900. For example, first contoured portion1002 of customizable portion 230 may be formed from the local pressureapplied by first protrusion 902. In other words, first contoured portion1002 may be configured with a substantially similar geometry to firstprotrusion 902. In particular, first contoured portion 1002 may form aprotrusion on upper 222 that corresponds to first protrusion 902 on foot900. In a similar manner, second contoured portion 1004 of customizableportion 230 may be formed from the local pressure applied by secondprotrusion 904. In other words, second contoured portion 1004 may beconfigured with a substantially similar geometry to second protrusion904. In particular, second contoured portion 1004 may form a protrusionon upper 222 that corresponds to second protrusion 904 on foot 900.

It should be understood that a customizable portion could adapt to anygeometric features of a foot. In some cases, the customizable portionmay adapt to protrusions of various kinds. Additionally a customizableportion can adapt to the overall shape and geometry of a foot. Forexample, in an embodiment where a user has relatively wide arch, acustomizable portion comprising a portion of the upper may be configuredto expand at the arch to provide a better fit for the user. In otherwords, a customizable portion can be deformed to accommodate globalgeometric features of a foot in addition to local geometric featuressuch as protrusions.

In order to ensure that customizable portion 230 is substantiallypermanently deformed in a manner that corresponds to foot 900, it isdesirable that article 202 cool below the predetermined temperaturebefore removing foot 900. In some cases, a user could make a temperaturemeasurement of article 202. In other cases, a user may wait apredetermined period of time before removing article 202 to ensure thatarticle 202 has sufficiently cooled. In some embodiments, a set ofinstructions could provide information for a user including a desiredamount of time for keeping a foot inserted inside an article offootwear.

After article 202 has cooled below the predetermined temperature, foot900 can be removed from upper 222, as illustrated in FIG. 11 .Customizable portion 230 may substantially retain the shapecorresponding to foot 900 following the removal of foot 900. In thiscase, customizable portion 230 retains first contoured portion 1002 andsecond contoured portion 1004 even after foot 900 as been removed. Withthis arrangement, upper 222 may be substantially permanently reshaped toprovide a better fit and enhanced comfort for the user.

In some embodiments, the process of reshaping a customizable portion mayonly occur once over the lifetime of an article. In some cases, forexample, a customizable portion may be made of a material that can onlybe cured a single time. In other words, the cycle of heating thecustomizable portion above a predetermined temperature, deforming thecustomizable portion and then cooling the customizable portion below thepredetermined temperature can only occur once. Such materials may notreturn to a substantially deformable state after being reheated abovethe predetermined temperature. In other embodiments, however, theprocess of reshaping a customizable portion could occur two or moretimes over the lifetime of an article.

FIGS. 12 through 16 illustrate alternative embodiments of stands thatmay be used with a footwear customization kit. It will be understoodthat the examples of stands given here are not intended to be limitingand in other embodiments still other kinds of stands can be used with afootwear customization kit. Referring now to FIGS. 12 through 14 , acustomization kit may be provided with stand 1202. Stand 1202 caninclude base portion 1204 and footwear engaging portion 1206. Baseportion 1204 may be configured to engage a portion of a steaming devicethat is used for creating a steam environment. For example, inembodiments where the steaming device is a pot, base portion 1204 mayengage a bottom interior surface of the pot. In some cases, footwearengaging portion 1206 may extend at an angle from base portion 1204. Inone embodiment, footwear engaging portion 1206 may extend generallyperpendicularly from base portion 1204. Footwear engaging portion 1206may include first end portion 1207 that is disposed adjacent to baseportion 1204 and second end portion 1208 that is disposed furthest frombase portion 1204.

In different embodiments, the shape of base portion 1204 and/or footwearengaging portion 1206 may vary. In some cases, base portion 1204 mayhave an approximately two dimensional shape. Examples of differentshapes for base portion 1204 include, but are not limited to, roundedshapes, rectangular shapes, polygonal shapes, regular shapes, irregularshapes as well as any other kind of shapes. In the current embodiment,base portion 1204 may have an approximately oval-like or elliptic shape.In addition, footwear engaging portion 1206 may have an approximatelytwo dimensional shape that extends from base portion 1204 in aperpendicular manner. Examples of different shapes for footwear engagingportion 1206 include, but are not limited to any of the shapes discussedabove for base portion 1204. In an exemplary embodiment, footwearengaging portion 1206 may have an irregular shape.

In some cases, footwear engaging portion 1206 can comprise distinctportions that are associated with different portions of an article offootwear. In some embodiments, footwear engaging portion 1206 mayinclude lower portion 1210 and upper portion 1212. Lower portion 1210may be disposed adjacent to base portion 1204. In some cases, lowerportion 1210 may have a substantially larger width than upper portion1212. In particular, upper portion 1212 may be narrow enough to insertinto a throat opening of an article. In contrast, lower portion 1210 maybe substantially wider than upper portion 1212. In particular, lowerportion 1210 may be wider than the throat opening of an upper. In somecases, footwear engaging portion 1206 can also include shoulder portion1214 that extends between lower portion 1210 and upper portion 1212. Inone embodiment, the width of shoulder portion 1214 may vary betweenlower portion 1210 and upper portion 1212. With this arrangement, thethroat opening of an article may rest against shoulder portion 1214 tohelp hold an article in place and in a generally upright position.

In some embodiments, footwear engaging portion 1206 may further compriseintermediate portion 1215 that is disposed between first end portion1207 and second end portion 1208. In some cases, intermediate portion1215 may be disposed within lower portion 1210. In other cases,intermediate portion 1215 could be disposed within upper portion 1212.In an exemplary embodiment, intermediate portion 1215 may be disposedwithin lower portion 1210.

Intermediate portion 1215 may comprise first cross bar 1216 and secondcross bar 1218. First cross bar 1216 may extend across lower portion1210 in a generally widthwise direction. In other words, first cross bar1216 may extend from lateral side 1286 to medial side 1288 of stand1202. Similarly, second cross bar 1218 may extend from lateral side 1286to medial side 1288 of lower portion 1210. In some cases, first crossbar 1216 and second cross bar 1218 can comprise substantially roundedcross sectional shapes. In other cases, however, first cross bar 1216and second cross bar 1218 may have any other kinds of cross sectionalshapes.

In some embodiments, first cross bar 1216 and second cross bar 1218 mayprovide enhanced strength for stand 1202. In addition, in some cases,first cross bar 1216 and second cross bar 1218 may provide means forattaching a detachable portion to stand 1202, as discussed in furtherdetail below.

In some embodiments, a stand can include provisions for protecting thelaces of an article. In some cases, a stand can include features toprevent the laces of an article from hanging down below the heel portionof the article. For example, in embodiments where an article may beplaced within a pot of boiling water, a stand can include provisions forpreventing the laces from contacting the boiling water directly. In oneembodiment, a stand can include a detachable portion that can be used tosecure the laces above the boiling water.

In the current embodiment, stand 1202 may include detachable portion1220. Detachable portion 1220 may include lace receiving portion 1222and peripheral portion 1224. Peripheral portion 1224 may extend aroundlace receiving portion 1222.

In some cases, lace receiving portion 1222 may include plurality ofholes 1240 that allow steam to pass through detachable portion 1220.However, it will be understood that in other embodiments otherprovisions could be used including slots, meshes or any other provisionsthat allow steam to pass through portions of detachable portion 1220.Moreover, in other embodiments detachable portion 1220 may not includeany holes, slots or meshes.

Generally, the geometry of detachable portion 1220 can vary. Examples ofdifferent shapes for detachable portion 1220 include, but are notlimited to, rounded shapes, rectangular shapes, polygonal shapes,regular shapes, irregular shapes as well as any other kind of shapes. Insome cases, detachable portion 1220 could have an approximately halfoval or half elliptic shape that is associated with the shape of baseportion 1204.

In some embodiments, detachable portion 1220 can be configured to attachto stand 1202 at various locations. In order to facilitate placing stand1202 within a container, detachable portion 1220 may initially beattached to base portion 1204. This arrangement corresponds to a firstposition of stand 1202 that is illustrated in FIG. 12 . In this case,peripheral portion 1224 may be configured to engage outer frame portion1230 of base portion 1204. In an exemplary embodiment, peripheralportion 1224 may be configured to snap into place within outer frameportion 1230. In other embodiments, however, detachable portion 1220 maybe configured to attach to base portion 1204 in any other manner. Inanother embodiment, detachable portion 1220 may be removably attached tobase portion 1204 using a clip. With this arrangement, stand 1202 caneasily be placed between two adjacent articles of footwear in acontainer in a similar manner to the arrangement discussed for stand 302in the previous embodiment.

In order to help protect the laces of an article while the article isplaced in a steam environment, detachable portion 1220 can be removedfrom base portion 1204, as illustrated in FIG. 13 . In cases whereperipheral portion 1224 snaps into outer frame portion 1230, detachableportion 1220 can be removed by applying pressure to lace receivingportion. Once detachable portion 1220 is detached from base portion1204, detachable portion 1220 may be reattached to stand 1202 atintermediate portion 1215. This configuration corresponds to a secondposition of stand 1202 that is illustrated in FIG. 14 . In this case,detachable portion 1220 may be attached to stand 1202 between firstcross bar 1216 and second cross bar 1218 of intermediate portion 1215.In some cases, detachable portion 1220 could include recessed portions1228 for engaging with first cross bar 1216 (see FIG. 13 ). In anexemplary embodiment, detachable portion 1220 may connect tointermediate portion 1215 in a manner so that detachable portion 1220extends generally perpendicularly from footwear engaging portion 1206.In particular, in some cases, detachable portion 1220 may besubstantially parallel to base portion 1204.

As seen in FIG. 14 , article 202 has been placed onto stand 1202. Inthis case, laces 1400 of article 202 may hang down from upper 222. Usingthe arrangement discussed here, detachable portion 1220 helps to protectlaces 1400. Laces 1400 may be gathered on lace receiving portion 1222.This arrangement may prevent laces 1400 from contacting boiling water.In addition, plurality of holes 1240 help steam to pass through lacereceiving portion 1222 and onto article 202.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate another embodiment of a stand for a footwearcustomization kit. Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16 , a footwearcustomization kit can be provided with stand 1502. Stand 1502 caninclude base portion 1504 and footwear engaging portion 1506. Baseportion 1504 may be configured to engage a portion of a steaming devicethat is used for creating a steam environment. For example, inembodiments where the steaming device is a pot, base portion 1504 mayengage a bottom interior surface of the pot. In some embodiments,footwear engaging portion 1506 may extend at an angle from base portion1504. In some cases, footwear engaging portion 1506 may extend generallyperpendicularly from base portion 1504. In some cases, footwear engagingportion 1506 may include first end portion 1507 that is disposedadjacent to base portion 1504 and second end portion 1508 that isdisposed furthest from base portion 1504.

In different embodiments, the shape of base portion 1504 and/or footwearengaging portion 1506 may vary. In some cases, base portion 1504 mayhave an approximately two dimensional shape. Examples of differentshapes for base portion 1504 include, but are not limited to, roundedshapes, rectangular shapes, polygonal shapes, regular shapes, irregularshapes as well as any other kind of shapes. In the current embodiment,base portion 1504 may have an approximately circular shape. In addition,footwear engaging portion 1506 may have an approximately two dimensionalshape that extends from base portion 1504 in a perpendicular manner.Examples of different shapes for footwear engaging portion 1506 include,but are not limited to any of the shapes discussed above for baseportion 1504. In an exemplary embodiment, footwear engaging portion 1504may have an irregular shape.

A base portion and/or a footwear engaging portion can include provisionsfor reducing the weight of a stand. In some embodiments, base portion1504 may comprise one or more slots. In the exemplary embodiment, baseportion 1504 may include plurality of slots 1520. Plurality of slots1520 comprise generally parallel slots extending from forward portion1522 to rearward portion 1524 of base portion 1504. In some cases,plurality of slots 1520 may help to decrease the weight of stand 1502.Additionally, in some cases where base portion 1504 may be raised abovethe surface of water in a pot, plurality of slots 1520 may also allowsteam to pass through base portion 1504 to contact an article offootwear.

Footwear engaging portion 1506 can comprise one or more gaps. In theexemplary embodiment, footwear engaging portion 1506 may include firstgap 1530 and second gap 1532. Second gap 1532 may be associated withsecond end portion 1508. First gap 1530 may be disposed withinintermediate portion 1515, which is disposed between first end portion1507 and second end portion 1508. In some cases, first gap 1530 andsecond gap 1532 can help reduce the weight of stand 1502. Additionally,in some cases, first gap 1530 and second gap 1532 may allow steam topass through footwear engaging portion 1506.

Footwear engaging portion 1506 can include provisions for holding anarticle of footwear. In some embodiments, footwear engaging portion 1506can include first flange portion 1550 and second flange portion 1552 atintermediate portion 1515. First flange portion 1550 and second flangeportion 1552 may generally extend outwardly in a widthwise directionfrom footwear engaging portion 1506. In particular, first flange portion1550 and second flange portion 1552 may provide an increased width forintermediate portion 1515 over first end portion 1507 and second endportion 1508. In some cases, intermediate portion 1515 may have asubstantially larger width than second end portion 1508. In particular,second end portion 1508 may be narrow enough to insert into a throatopening of an article. In contrast, intermediate portion 1515 may besubstantially wider than second end portion 1508. In particular,intermediate portion 1515 may be wider than the throat opening of anupper. With this arrangement, the throat opening of an article maygenerally rest against first flange portion 1550 and second flangeportion 1552 of footwear engaging portion 1506 in order to hold thearticle in a generally upright position.

A stand can include provisions for reducing the amount of space requiredto fit the stand in a container associated with a footwear customizationkit. In some embodiments, a stand can be provided with detachableportions. In other embodiments, a stand can be configured to fold.

In one embodiment, first end portion 1507 of footwear engaging portion1506 may be attached to base portion 1504. In some cases, first endportion 1507 may be connected to base portion 1504 using a hinge-likearrangement. In some embodiments, first end portion 1507 may join baseportion 1504 at folding crease 1560. Folding crease 1560 may be a regionof connection that provides for bending between base portion 1504 andfootwear engaging portion 1506. In some cases, folding crease 1560 maybe a substantially continuous region of connection. In other cases,folding crease 1560 may comprise gaps or spacing between portions offirst end portion 1507 and base portion 1504. In still other cases,folding crease 1560 can have any other configuration that allows forbending between footwear engaging portion 1506 and base portion 1504.

Although the current embodiment illustrates a folding crease betweenfirst end portion 1507 and base portion 1504, in other embodiments anyother arrangement that provides bending between first end portion 1507and base portion 1504 can be used. In other cases, for example, firstend portion 1507 and base portion 1504 could be joined together using amechanical hinge of some kind.

The arrangement discussed allows footwear engaging portion 1506 to beconfigured in various positions with respect to base portion 1504. Insome cases, footwear engaging portion 1506 can be moved between a firstposition 1570 (seen in FIG. 15 ) and a second position 1572 (seen inFIG. 16 ). In first position 1570, footwear engaging portion 1506 isdisposed in a generally parallel manner with base portion 1504.Furthermore, with footwear engaging portion 1506 in first position 1570,stand 1502 has a substantially flattened configuration. As footwearengaging portion 1506 is folded upwards to second position 1572,footwear engaging portion 1506 may be disposed at an angle to baseportion 1504. In some cases, in this second position, footwear engagingportion 1506 may be approximately perpendicular to base portion 1504. Inthis second position, footwear engaging portion 1506 may be configuredto hold an article of footwear in a steam environment. This arrangementallows stand 1502 to be packed in a flattened configured within acontainer and then folded into a raised position for use with anarticle.

In some embodiments, stand 1502 can include provisions for increasingthe height of base portion 1504. In the current embodiment, base portion1504 can be provided with one or more folding tab portions. In thiscase, base portion 1504 includes first folding tab portion 1581, secondfolding tab portion 1582, third folding tab portion 1583 and fourthfolding tab portion 1584 that may be collectively referred to as foldingtab set 1580. Each folding tab of folding tab set 1580 may be configuredto fold outwardly from base portion 1504 in the manner illustrated inFIGS. 15 and 16 . In some cases, each folding tab of folding tab set1580 may fold to a substantially perpendicular position with respect tobase portion 1504 in order to increase the height of base portion 1504.

In different embodiments, stands can be made of different materials.Examples of different materials that could be used include, but are notlimited to: metallic materials, polymer materials including plasticsand/or rubbers, wooden materials, composite materials, as well as anyother kinds of materials. In some cases, the material used for a standcan be selected according to various features of the stand. For example,in embodiments where a stand comprises a monolithic frame-like stand, ametallic material such as aluminum, steel, iron or any other kind ofmetallic material could be used. In other cases, however, a monolithicframe-like stand could be made of any other kind of material. Inembodiments where a stand includes a detachable portion, a plasticmaterial may be used since plastic pieces can be designed for detachableassembly. In other cases, however, stands using detachable portionscould be made of any other kind of material. In embodiments where astand comprises one or more folding portions, a deformable sheetmaterial could be used, such as a deformable plastic sheet material or adeformable metallic sheet material. In other cases, however, standsincluding folding portions could be made of any other kind of material.

An article of footwear can be provided with two or more distinctmaterials that can be deformed when heated above a predeterminedtemperature and then retain differing rigidities when cooled below thepredetermined temperature. For example, in one embodiment, an upper maycomprise a first material that is customizable and an insert maycomprise a second material that is customizable. Moreover, the secondmaterial may be substantially more rigid than the first material afterboth materials are heated above a predetermined temperature and thencooled again. In another embodiment, an upper may comprise a firstmaterial that is customizable and a sole structure may comprise a secondmaterial that is customizable. Moreover, the first material and thesecond material may have substantially different rigidities after bothmaterials are heated above a predetermined temperature and then cooledagain. Still further, in other embodiments, three or more customizablematerials could be used for different portions of an article offootwear.

FIGS. 17 through 21 illustrate another embodiment of a customizationsystem for customizing an article of footwear. Referring to FIGS. 17 and18 , customization kit 1700 includes first article of footwear 1802,second article of footwear 1804, stand 1702 and steaming bag 1704. Kit1700 further includes container 1706 for storing each of thesecomponents. These components are substantially similar to the componentsdiscussed in the previous embodiments. Kit 1700 may also include a setof optional customizable inserts. In this case, kit 1700 includes firstcustomizable insert 1710 and second customizable insert 1712. Firstcustomizable insert 1710 and second customizable insert 1712 may be usedwith first article of footwear 1802 and second article of footwear 1804,respectively.

Although the current embodiment illustrates removable inserts, in othercases other types of inserts could be used. For example, in anotherembodiment, an insert could be embedded or integrally formed with anarticle of footwear. In one embodiment, an insert could be integrallyformed with an interior portion of an upper. In another embodiment, aninsert could be integrally formed with an interior surface of a solestructure. In still other embodiments, an insert could be embedded orintegrally formed with any other component of an article of footwear.

For purposes of clarity, only first customizable insert 1710 isdiscussed in detail, however it should be understood that the sameprinciples may apply to second customizable insert 1712 that isconfigured to be used with second article of footwear 1804. Furthermore,throughout the remainder of this detailed description first article offootwear 1802 and first customizable insert 1710 may be referred to asarticle 1802 and customizable insert 1710, respectively.

Article 1802 may be substantially similar to article 202 discussed inthe previous embodiments. Article 1802 may comprise upper 1822 and solestructure 1824. For purposes of locating different features of article1802, article 1802 may be associated with forefoot portion 10, midfootportion 12 and heel portion 14 as well as with lateral side 16 andmedial side 18.

In some embodiments, upper 1822 may be associated with one or morecustomizable portions. In some cases, a customizable portion may beassociated with forefoot portion 10, midfoot portion 12 and/or heelportion 14 of upper 1822. In other cases, a customizable portion may beassociated with any combination of different portions of upper 1822. Inan exemplary embodiment, upper 1822 may include customizable portion1830. In particular, customizable portion 1830 may extend through asubstantial majority of upper 1822. In some cases, customizable portion1830 may coincide with upper 1822.

The characteristics of customizable portions can be varied in differentways. In some embodiments, a customizable portion can be varied througha curing process. In other words, the customizable portion may be heatedabove a predetermined temperature and modified before cooling thecustomizable portion so that the modifications are retained. In otherembodiments, the characteristics of customizable portions can be variedthrough the use of pressure, chemical additives or other known methodsof changing the characteristics of material including the size, shape,rigidity, flexibility and/or other properties. In still otherembodiments, a combination of heat, pressure and/or chemicals could beused to modify the customizable portion.

In order to modify customizable portion 1830, article 1802 may be heatedabove a predetermined temperature. In some cases, article 1802 may beplaced in an oven. In other cases, article 1802 may be heated usingsteam. In an exemplary embodiment, article 1802 may be heated in anysteam environment. A steam environment can be created in different ways.In some cases, a steam environment can be created using a pot with waterthat may be boiled to create steam. In other cases, any other devices ormechanisms for creating steam can be used.

In different embodiments, customizable insert 1710 can be associatedwith different portions of article 1802. In some cases, customizableinsert 1710 may be associated with forefoot portion 10. In other cases,customizable insert 1710 may be associated with midfoot portion 12. Instill other cases, customizable insert 1710 may be associated with heelportion 14. In an exemplary embodiment, customizable insert 1710 may beconfigured as a heel insert that is associated with heel portion 14 ofarticle 1802. In some cases, customizable insert 1710 may be removablyinserted from article 1802 through throat opening 1828.

Customizable insert 1710 may comprise base portion 1720 and sidewallportion 1722. Sidewall portion 1722 may be disposed at an angle withrespect to base portion 1720. In some cases, sidewall portion 1722 maybe configured to contact the sides and rear of a heel. Likewise, baseportion 1720 may be configured to receive the bottom surface of a heel.

In some embodiments, customizable insert 1710 may be customized usingheat. In some cases, the shape of customizable insert 1710 may bechanged by raising the temperature of customizable insert 1710 above apredetermined temperature. In one embodiment, the shape of customizableinsert 1710 may be changed by applying steam to customizable insert1710.

In some embodiments, the material properties of customizable portion1830 and customizable insert 1710 may vary. In some cases, customizableportion 1830 and customizable insert 1710 may be made of substantiallysimilar materials. In other cases, customizable portion 1830 andcustomizable insert 1710 may be made of substantially differentmaterials. In an exemplary embodiment, customizable portion 1830 andcustomizable insert 1710 may be made of substantially differentmaterials.

As previously discussed, customizable portions can be made from anyknown materials or combination of materials. Examples of materials thatmay be used include, but are not limited to: any kind of thermoplastics,thermoset polymers, thermoset resins (such as epoxy, vinlyester andpolyester), synthetic leathers including poromeric leathers and lorica,as well as any other kinds of materials with customizablecharacteristics. In an exemplary embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 22 ,a customizable portion 1830 may be constructed as a synthetic leathercomprising two polymer layers 1832 that sandwich a canvas sheet 1834.Moreover, a glue 1836 used to bond the polymer layers 1832 to the canvas1834 may be configured with a relatively low melting point. Whensteamed, this glue 1836 can stretch or shrink to accommodate acustomized shape. Although the current embodiment discusses athree-layered construction, other customizable portions couldincorporate any other number of layers including a single layerconstruction.

Customizable inserts can be made of any known materials or combinationsof materials. Examples of materials that may be used for a customizableinsert include, but are not limited to: any kind of thermoset polymers,thermoset resins (such as epoxy, vinylester and polyester), syntheticleathers, as well as any other materials with customizablecharacteristics. In some embodiments, a customizable insert can be madefrom a thermoset foam. In one embodiment, a customizable insert can bemade of a modified ethyl-vinyl-acetate (EVA) material that has thermosetproperties.

In some embodiments, materials for a customizable portion of an articleand a customizable insert can be selected according to materialcharacteristics such as durability, rigidity and/or flexibility. In anexemplary embodiment, materials for a customizable portion that is usedwith an upper and a customizable insert may be selected so that thecustomizable portion is substantially less rigid than the customizableinsert after curing. This arrangement may allow for a greater degree offlexibility for the customizable portion as the foot moves. In contrast,the customizable insert may be relatively rigid after curing to ensuregood support for a heel during use.

Referring now to FIG. 18 , the components of kit 1700 may be assembledwithin a steam environment in order to customize article 1802. In thecurrent embodiment, pot 1850 and burner 1852 are used to boil water 1854for creating steam. Furthermore, article 1802 has been placed on stand1702 within pot 1850. Steaming bag 1704 has been placed over stand 1702and article 1802 to capture the steam. With this arrangement, bothcustomizable portion 1830 of upper 1822 and customizable insert 1710 maybe heated above the predetermined temperature.

In this exemplary embodiment, article 1802 is held in a substantiallyvertical position. In other words, heel portion 14 is substantiallyclosed to water 1854 than forefoot portion 10. In some cases, thisarrangement can help ensure that customizable insert 1710 is heatedabove the predetermined temperature.

FIGS. 19 through 21 illustrate isometric views of an embodiment of acustomizable portion of an article and a customizable insertsimultaneously conforming to the shape of a foot. As previouslydiscussed, the current embodiment includes customizable portion 1830that comprises a substantial majority of upper 1822 of article 1802.Therefore, as a foot is inserted into upper 1822, a substantial majorityof upper 1822 may conform to the shape of the foot. Additionally,article 1802 includes customizable insert 1710 that can be customized tothe shape of a heel.

Referring to FIG. 19 , the temperature of article 1802 may be above thepredetermined temperature at which customizable portion 1830 softenssubstantially. In this heated state, customizable portion 1830 may bepartially deformable. Initially, customizable portion 1830 has asubstantially smooth shape. In particular, forefoot portion 10 isgenerally smooth on both lateral side 16 and medial side 18 of upper1822.

Foot 1900 is illustrated as inserting into article 1802. In contrast tothe substantially smooth shape of customizable portion 1830, foot 1900has a substantially irregular shape. In this case, foot 1900 includesfirst protrusion 1902 and second protrusion 1904 associated with medialside 1918 and lateral side 1916, respectively, of foot 1900. Theseprotrusions could be associated with any type of irregularities in theshape of foot 1900 including any kinds of bony protrusions, calluses orother types of protrusions.

The temperature of customizable insert 1710 may also be above thepredetermined temperature at which customizable insert 1710 softenssubstantially. Initially, customizable insert 1710 has a substantiallysmooth shape. In particular, base portion 1720 has a substantiallyconstant thickness. Also, sidewall portion 1722 has a substantiallyconstant height. It will be understood that in some cases, customizableinsert 1710 and customizable portion 1830 may be associated withsubstantially similar predetermined temperatures or glass transitiontemperatures. However, in other cases, customizable insert 1710 andcustomizable portion 1830 may be associated with substantially differentpredetermined temperatures. In such cases, as long as the steamenvironment is able to raise the temperature of article 1802 above bothpredetermined temperatures, customizable insert 1710 and customizableportion 1810 may both be cured during a single process.

Referring now to FIG. 20 , foot 1900 has been fully inserted into upper1822. Furthermore, the temperature of article 1802 is still above thepredetermined temperature associated with customizable portion 1830. Inthis heated state, customizable portion 1830 may be deformed. In anexemplary embodiment, customizable portion 1830 may deform so as toadapt to the shape of foot 1900. Specifically, in this case,customizable portion 1830 may be reshaped due the pressure applied byfoot 1900. For example, first contoured portion 2002 of customizableportion 1930 may be formed from the local pressure applied by firstprotrusion 1902. In other words, first contoured portion 2002 may beconfigured with a substantially similar geometry to first protrusion1902. In particular, first contoured portion 2002 may form a protrusionon upper 1822 that corresponds to first protrusion 1902 on foot 900. Ina similar manner, second contoured portion 2004 of customizable portion1830 may be formed from the local pressure applied by second protrusion1904. In other words, second contoured portion 2004 may be configuredwith a substantially similar geometry to second protrusion 1904. Inparticular, second contoured portion 2004 may form a protrusion on upper1822 that corresponds to second protrusion 1904 on foot 1900.

It should be understood that a customizable portion could adapt to anygeometric features of a foot. In some cases, the customizable portionmay adapt to protrusions of various kinds. Additionally a customizableportion can adapt to the overall shape and geometry of a foot. Forexample, in an embodiment where a user has relatively wide arch, acustomizable portion comprising a portion of the upper may be configuredto expand at the arch to provide a better fit for the user. In otherwords, a customizable portion can deformed to accommodate globalgeometric features of a foot in addition to local geometric featuressuch as protrusions.

Also, with foot 1900 fully inserted into upper 1822, customizable insert1710 may adapt to the shape of foot 1900. In some cases, base portion1720 may be deformed under the weight of heel 1910 (see FIG. 21 ). Inparticular, base portion 1720 may be compressed so that the thickness ofbase portion 1720 varies in a widthwise direction. Also, sidewallportion 1722 may conform to the shape of the side portions and rearportions of heel 1910. It will be understood that the variations in thegeometry of customizable insert 1710 illustrated and discussed in thisembodiment are only intended to be exemplary. In other embodiments, anyother kinds of deformations are possible. In particular, both globalgeometric properties and local geometric properties of customizableinsert 1710 could be varied.

In order to ensure that customizable portion 1830 and customizableinsert 1710 are substantially permanently deformed in a manner thatcorresponds to foot 1900, it is desirable that article 1802 cool belowthe predetermined temperature before removing foot 1900. In some cases,a user could make a temperature measurement of article 1802. In othercases, a user may wait a predetermined period of time before removingarticle 1802 to ensure that article 1802 has sufficiently cooled. Insome embodiments, a set of instructions could provide information for auser including a desired amount of time for keeping a foot insertedinside an article of footwear.

After article 1802 has cooled below the predetermined temperature, foot1900 can be removed from upper 1822, as illustrated in FIG. 21 .Customizable portion 1830 may substantially retain the shapecorresponding to foot 1900 following the removal of foot 1900. In thiscase, customizable portion 1830 retains first contoured portion 2002 andsecond contoured portion 2004 even after foot 1900 as been removed. Withthis arrangement, upper 1822 may be substantially permanently reshapedto provide a better fit and enhanced comfort for the user. In a similarmanner, customizable insert 1710 may also substantially retain the shapecorresponding to heel portion 1910 of foot 1900.

Furthermore, after cooling, customizable portion 1830 and customizableinsert 1710 may acquire substantially different rigidities. In somecases, customizable portion 1830 may be substantially less rigid thatcustomizable insert 1710. This arrangement allows customizable portion1830, which comprises a substantial majority of upper 1822, to flex andaccommodate movement of a foot during use. In contrast, customizableinsert 1710 may be relatively rigid to increase support for a heel.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described, thedescription is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and itwill be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scopeof the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restrictedexcept in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also,various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of theattached claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A kit of parts, comprising: an assembled articleof footwear comprising: a customizable portion that is an upper portion,wherein the customizable portion includes a size that is configured tobe adjusted when heated above a predetermined temperature in a steamenvironment at atmospheric pressure and a shape that is configured to beadjusted when heated above the predetermined temperature in the steamenvironment at atmospheric pressure; and a customizable insert that is aheel insert, wherein the customizable insert includes a size that isconfigured to be adjusted when heated above the predeterminedtemperature in the steam environment at atmospheric pressure and a shapethat is configured to be adjusted when heated above the predeterminedtemperature in the steam environment at atmospheric pressure; and asteaming bag configured to cover the assembled article of footwear inthe steam environment.
 2. The kit of parts according to claim 1, whereinthe customizable portion comprises a majority of an upper of the articleof footwear.
 3. The kit of parts according to claim 2, wherein thecustomizable portion comprises a synthetic leather.
 4. The kit of partsaccording to claim 1, wherein customizable portion includes a firstthermoplastic material and the customizable insert includes a secondthermoplastic material.
 5. The kit of parts according to claim 4,wherein the first thermoplastic material is different from the secondthermoplastic material.
 6. The kit of parts according to claim 4,wherein the first thermoplastic material has a first rigidity afterbeing heated above the predetermined temperature and then cooled, andthe second thermoplastic material has a second rigidity after beingheated above the predetermined temperature and then cooled, and thefirst rigidity is less than the second rigidity.
 7. The kit of partsaccording to claim 4, wherein the predetermined temperature is atemperature at a softening point for both the first thermoplasticmaterial and the second thermoplastic material and the customizableportion and the customizable insert are at least partially deformable topermit modification of the assembled article of footwear.
 8. The kit ofparts according to claim 1, wherein the customizable portion isconstructed of two polymer layers that sandwich and are bonded to acanvas sheet and the customizable insert is a thermoset foam, thecustomizable portion further including a glue that bonds the polymerlayers to the canvas sheet, wherein, when the customizable portion issteamed, the glue is configured to stretch and when the customizableportion is removed from the steam, the glue is configured to shrink toaccommodate the adjustable shape.
 9. The kit of parts according to claim1, wherein the heel insert extends along a heel portion of the assembledarticle of footwear and includes a base portion and a sidewall portion,the sidewall portion being disposed at an angle to the base portion. 10.The kit of parts according to claim 1, wherein the customizable portionis configured to be adjusted and customized by a shape of a footinserted into the article of footwear and to permanently retain theshape upon cooling below the predetermined temperature.
 11. The kit ofparts according to claim 1, wherein the customizable insert isconfigured to be adjusted and customized by a shape of a foot insertedinto the article of footwear and to permanently retain the shape uponcooling below the predetermined temperature.
 12. The kit of partsaccording to claim 1, wherein the customizable portion is a portion ofan upper of the article of footwear.
 13. A kit of parts, comprising: anassembled article of footwear comprising: a customizable portion that isan upper portion and includes a first thermoplastic material, whereinthe customizable portion includes a size that is configured to beadjusted when heated above a predetermined temperature in a steamenvironment at atmospheric pressure and a shape that is configured to beadjusted when heated above the predetermined temperature in the steamenvironment at atmospheric pressure; and a customizable insert that is aheel insert and includes a second thermoplastic material different thanthe first thermoplastic material, wherein the customizable insertincludes a size that is configured to be adjusted when heated above thepredetermined temperature in the steam environment at atmosphericpressure and a shape that is configured to be adjusted when heated abovethe predetermined temperature in the steam environment at atmosphericpressure; and a steaming bag configured to cover the assembled articleof footwear in the steam environment.
 14. The kit of parts according toclaim 13, wherein the customizable portion comprises a majority of anupper of the article of footwear.
 15. The kit of parts according toclaim 13, wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature at asoftening point for both the first thermoplastic material and the secondthermoplastic material and the customizable portion and the customizableinsert are at least partially deformable to permit modification of theassembled article of footwear.
 16. The kit of parts according to claim13, wherein the customizable portion is constructed of two polymerlayers that sandwich and are bonded to a canvas sheet and thecustomizable insert is a thermoset foam, the customizable portionfurther including a glue that bonds the polymer layers to the canvassheet, wherein, when the customizable portion is steamed, the glue isconfigured to stretch and when the customizable portion is removed fromthe steam, the glue is configured to shrink to accommodate theadjustable shape.
 17. The kit of parts according to claim 13, whereinthe first thermoplastic material has a first rigidity after being heatedabove the predetermined temperature and then cooled, and the secondthermoplastic material has a second rigidity after being heated abovethe predetermined temperature and then cooled, and the first rigidity isless than the second rigidity.
 18. The kit of parts according to claim13, wherein the heel insert extends along a heel portion of theassembled article of footwear and includes a base portion and a sidewallportion, the sidewall portion being disposed at an angle to the baseportion.
 19. The kit of parts according to claim 13, wherein thecustomizable portion is configured to be adjusted and customized by ashape of a foot inserted into the article of footwear and to permanentlyretain the shape upon cooling below the predetermined temperature. 20.The kit of parts according to claim 13, wherein the customizable insertis configured to be adjusted and customized by a shape of a footinserted into the article of footwear and to permanently retain theshape upon cooling below the predetermined temperature.